making him the head of a great political movement, his right as heir to
the Prince could not be invalidated.

The Cardinal bestowed fully three weeks over these records before
he gave any reply to Massoni, and then he answered in a tone of
half-careless and discouraging meaning, 'that the papers were
curious--interesting too--from the high station of many of the writers,
but evidently deficient as proofs of a matter so pregnant with great
results.' He hinted also, that from the wayward, adventurous kind of
life Charles Edward led, a charge of this nature would not be difficult
to make, and even support by every plausible evidence of its truth;
and lastly, he assured the Pere that the will of his Royal Highness
contained no allusion to such an heir, nor any provision for him.

'You seem to make a point of my seeing the youth, to which I do not
perceive there is any objection, but that you couple it with the
condition of my making him the momentous communication of his birth and
rank. Surely, you cannot mean that on the vague evidence now before
me, I am to pledge myself to these facts, and indorse documents so
unsubstantiated as these are? As to your opening any communication with
the Cardinal York, I cannot listen to it. His Eminence is in the most
precarious state of health, and his nervous irritability so intense,
that any such step on your part would be highly indiscreet. If,
therefore, it be your determination to take this course, mine is as
firmly adopted, to withdraw altogether from any interest in the affair.
The earlier I learn from you which line you intend to pursue, the more
agreeable it will be to--Your very true friend,

Caraffa, Cardinal.'

Massoni returned no reply to this letter. The crafty father saw that the
threat of addressing the Cardinal York had so far affrighted Caraffa,
that he was sure to come to any terms that might avoid this contingency.
To leave this menace to work slowly, gradually, and powerfully into his
mind, Massoni at once decided.

When, therefore, after a week's silence, the Cardinal sent him a few
lines to intimate that his former letter remained unanswered, the Pere
simply said, that his Eminence's letter was one which, in his humility,
he could only reflect over, and not answer.

The day after he had despatched this, a plain carriage, without arms,
and the servants in dark grey liveries, drove into the college, and the
Cardinal Caraflfa got out of it, and asked to see th